Dissident

A dissident is a person that actively opposes the established order. The term is most often used to refer to political dissidents, usually against oppressive regimes. Political dissidents usually refer to non-violent means, which can range from voicing criticism of the government to attempts to displace or overthrow the established government by achieving popular support and sparking a revolution. In totalitarian regimes these dissidents are often punished with lengthy prison sentences or execution. Similarly, social dissidents openly oppose accepted social attitudes. In democratic societies political and social dissidents are supposed to be free from government pressure, but there have been noted instances of persecution, such as the witch hunts in the United States for communists in the 1950s.

Militant dissidents are usually in the form of armed paramilitary groups whos aim is usually to overthrow a government or regime, or otherwise impose changes on the established order. Since militant dissidents are almost always militarily disadvantaged compared to the ruling power, such groups usually resort to asymmetric warfare; guerilla warfare, or in some cases, terrorism, to further their cause. Such groups are often denounced as terrorists by the ruling power regardless.

Noted dissidents include Andrei Sakharov, Noam Chomsky, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Nelson Mandela.

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